Homicide charges held for court in Waynesburg man无毛视频檚 overdose death
Two people accused of giving fentanyl laced marijuana to victim
Two people accused of intentionally lacing marijuana with deadly traces of fentanyl hoping it would kill a man with whom they apparently were involved in a love triangle will stand trial on homicide and other charges.
Jake Anthony Finogle and Tiffany Lee Gump were shackled and wearing orange prison jumpsuits while attending their preliminary hearing Friday morning in the Greene County Courthouse before District Judge David Balint, who held all charges against them for court.
The two are accused of conspiring to give fentanyl-laced marijuana to 25-year-old Taylor Lee Arthur, who smoked it and was later found dead June 19 along train tracks near the 800 block of East Greene Street in Waynesburg. Finogle, 24, and Gump, 28, both of Waynesburg, were originally charged with felony drug delivery resulting in death, but Greene County District Attorney Brianna Vanata later upgraded the charges to criminal homicide, accusing the duo of intentionally killing Arthur by having him unknowingly ingest fentanyl.
Waynesburg police Officer Melissa Adamson testified during the hearing that Arthur and Gump were dating, but Gump was also seeing Finogle and possibly two other men at the time. During a lengthy police interview with Gump on June 25, Adamson said Gump admitted that she was aware that there was fentanyl in the marijuana she knew Arthur was going to smoke.
“They were aware it was laced and knew (Arthur) would smoke it,” Adamson said. “They had a love triangle going on. … They wanted to eliminate a point on the triangle, is what I understood.”
During a police interview with Finogle on June 26, Adamson said he was also aware and appeared to help another man – who has not been charged in the case – place the fentanyl in the marijuana. Finogle was arrested immediately following the police interview, and Gump was arrested shortly after.
“He acknowledged that he did it. … He was there when it was laced,” Adamson said. “He told Mr. Arthur not to smoke it.”
That brought an intense line of questioning from defense attorney Jim Jeffries, who is representing Gump, when he asked whether his client did anything to manipulate the marijuana.
“She did not say she physically did it,” Adamson said. “But she was aware.”
There were also questions raised about when exactly Arthur smoked the fentanyl-laced marijuana and when exactly he died, which was unclear in testimony. Adamson said toxicology tests are still pending to determine whether fentanyl poisoning caused Arthur’s death.
Adamson also said there was surveillance video from June 17 – two days before Arthur died – showing Arthur walking with Gump, Finogle and another man near Crawford Park near where a homeless encampment was and where the victim’s body was later found. Adamson also indicated that Gump allegedly admitted to being with Arthur as he was smoking the marijuana, and even helping to comfort him while he was apparently overdosing, but leaving before he died.
That prompted more questioning from Jeffries, who accused Adamson of misstating whether Gump was with Arthur when he smoked the marijuana.
“I think you’re confused,” Adamson said.
“I think you’re trying to hide something,” Jeffries responded.
In his closing statements, Jeffries argued that there was no evidence that Gump manipulated the marijuana or conspired to cause Arthur’s death.
Vanata argued that both defendants admitted some role in manipulating the marijuana, which she said ultimately killed Arthur.
“We have complete admissions by both defendants that they were involved in the lacing of the drugs,” Vanata said.
In addition to the homicide count, Balint ordered both Finogle and Gump to also stand trial on charges of conspiracy, drug delivery resulting in death, evidence tampering, reckless endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia. Finogle is also facing one count of possession with intent to deliver. Both are being held without bond at the Greene County jail.